By Ross Eric Gibson

The grand opening of the longest wooden wharf on the Pacific Coast was drawing interest all along the Pacific Coast, but its grand opening had to be scaled back due to prolonged bouts of pouring rain. It was an odd place to assemble that Dec. 5 day in 1914, inside the Steamship Warehouse a half mile out to sea. There were a number of cars parked on the wharf, conveying the finely dressed crowd seeking a dry refuge in the warehouse. This spot offshore was known for its salmon, yet the first fish caught off the new wharf was a three-foot-long “sea serpent” with a beard, caught by J.P. Jackson. It was a rare local species, today known as a ribbon fish.

The first steamer finally docked at the wharf around 10:30 a.m., which brought crowds excitedly out to greet the Roanoke. But it was only the Eureka, taking the honor of being the first-ever steamship to dock at the Municipal Wharf, letting off some passengers, then departing. At 11:45 a.m., some gasped and pointed to Lighthouse Point, where a series of waterspouts appeared, never before known in Santa Cruz, especially in a cluster. These are what tornadoes are called when they appear over water. Then the rain subsided, and a sunburst stretched its golden rays above a cloud, as Roanoke at last appeared on the horizon, docking at noon.

A moving picture company under supervision of E.M. Wilson, filmed the entire event. The local militia gave a 13-gun salute. The Santa Cruz crowd gave three cheers for the Roanoke and its captain, and the passengers spontaneously responded with three cheers for Santa Cruz. The reception committee of Mayor T.W. Drullard and Commissioners Fred R. Howe, Duncan McPherson, P.J. Morrissey and J.T. Jones, were joined by Christian Hoffmann, a public-spirited citizen who made sure the wharf bonds (for the wharf and Water Street bridge) were successfully raised by buying all $165,000 worth himself for $25,000 in ready cash, then selling them to an eager public to continue the fundraising.

In the warehouse, there was a booth promoting Watsonville apples, giving away the various varieties. Masses of calla lilies, the winter flower crop of Santa Cruz, gave a stunning display, where 400 guests in two shifts dined at two long tables, under a flurry of large American flags fluttering in the rafters. Wm. T. Jeter, former lieutenant governor of California, did the honors, giving a talk about the history of wharves in Santa Cruz, and the highlights that will make this wharf so impressive.

The wharf’s construction was greatly admired. Despite the teams of oxen moving the lumber, cutting edge advances were also used, leading to praise as the best constructed wharf on the entire coast. Except for the pile drivers and designers, the majority of the labor was local. The 2,200 Douglas fir piles were up to 68 feet long in deep water, driven 20 feet into the seabed in an ideal underwater site with a gradual slope into deep water. Because a broad-gauge rail line ran the length of the pier, the wharf was overbuilt like a railroad trestle. Engineer Brunnier said the wharf decking would have portions so interlaced, it would be “impossible for any part to go out in a storm without first overcoming 50% of the strength of the remainder of the wharf.” (Sentinel, 1/21/1914)

The brass band had been furnished by music store owner Fred R. Howe, and his cargo were the first pianos to pass through the newly opened Panama Canal. The Roanoke carried shipments for nearly every merchant in the city, either downtown or for the leading waterfront fish companies. Crowds were given special ribbons so they could tour the Roanoke steamship with its beautiful interiors.

Panama connection

The once-impossible Panama Canal opened in Aug. 15, 1914, spanning the Isthmus of Panama to link the Pacific to the Atlantic. Four months later on December 5, 1914, the Municipal Wharf opened to take advantage of cheaper cargo and passenger shipping through the Panama Canal. Then two months later on Feb. 20, 1915, San Francisco opened the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, under the fair’s President Charles C. Moore, and the Midway operator Fred Swanton, both Santa Cruzans. The Municipal Wharf was served by the Pacific Coast Steamship company, which the National Park Service said played a significant role in transporting visitors to the San Francisco exposition. Likewise Southern Pacific using upgraded passenger cars, promoted Santa Cruz as a major point of interest for fairgoers.

The Panama Canal has been a gateway for a number of ships visiting Santa Cruz, either naval vessels holding open house, or two ships with unusual character visiting in 1934. Fresh from the Pennsylvania shipyards came the custom-built 400-foot long Santacruzcement, the largest bulk-cement carrying steamship in the U.S. More surprising was the iconic USS Constitution, best known as Old Ironsides, in a national tour following its extensive 4-year restoration.

Maritime uses

Three months before the wharf open, the Sentinel reported (9/1/1914) that local fish companies had chosen their sites on the Municipal Wharf. These were 1. John Perez, 2. C. Stagnaro, 3. L. Beverton, 4. Bregante & Cialo, 5. H. Uhden & A. Silva, and 6. Western Fish Co. It took a few years to abandon the old Railroad Wharf, but it was eventually torn down around 1922. The fishing industry was on full display in all its aspects, and Ernest Otto’s “Waterfront” column was a popular feature in the newspaper. A visit to the wharf’s fish markets, restaurants or fishing section was a social experience for many.

Famed marine biologist Ed Ricketts, moved his Pacific Biological Laboratories from Pacific Grove to the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf in 1925. (“Santa Cruz Wharf”—Geoffrey Dunn). Ricketts’ laboratories were located at the point where the wharf turns a corner (about where Marini’s Candies are today). Ricketts stayed until 1928, when he set up his laboratory in Monterey on Cannery Row, and became close friends with John Steinbeck, who featured Ricketts in his novels “Cannery Row” and “Sweet Thursday.”

A popular exhibit at Fred Swanton’s new boardwalk was an aquarium, lasting 1904-1915. Swanton proposed a new aquarium as part of an unrealized wharf entry complex in the 1920s. “Look’s Den,” opened on the wharf in 1935, selling fishing gear and curios, with a small aquarium, and was a popular spot for nearly 40 years. In 1938, Public Works Commissioner Alvin Weymouth established an aquarium at the end of the Municipal Wharf. Malio Stagnaro donated the first display tank, while fishermen provided live specimens year-round of deepwater species and strays from southern waters. Their experiments in prolonging the lives of museum exhibits drew the attention of San Francisco’s Steinhart Aquarium. Frustratingly, plans for a full-size aquarium kept fizzling. Later, the end of the wharf was one of the suggested sites for the “Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Visitor’s Center.”

Countdown to collapse

The wharf directed its narrowest part out to sea, making its end section the wave impact zone for the whole landmark. Yet the dynamic of a wharf structure is to let waves flow through the pilings, not against them. According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the openwork pilings of a wharf help dissipate waves and reduce the strength of currents, in the manner of an artificial reef or kelp forest. Likewise, these pilings and their subdued currents create a “juvenile-friendly” habitat for fish, sea lions and shore birds.

Even so, the impact zone at the end of the wharf will take the brunt of strong waves. In 1960, deteriorating conditions at the end of the wharf required the warehouse to be demolished. Yet the question whether the wharf could be saved was answered with a $49,500 California Wildlife Conservation Board grant, restoring the public fishing section at the end. (“Santa Cruz Wharf” — Dunn).

A 2011 tsunami brought Santa Cruz nearly a million dollars to repair tsunami damage in the harbor and wharf. In 2014, it was determined the wharf wasn’t damaged, that while 5% of the wharf pilings needed replacement, the wharf was in overall good condition.

In 2019, two tornadoes appeared, one crossing West Cliff Drive before dissipating. A second also began as a waterspout, crossed the end of the wharf as a tornado, ripping 35% of the roof off the Dolphin Restaurant, then marching back out to sea without injury to diners or structural damage to the wharf. In 2021, the city received $620,000 federal grant to replace 50 pilings and refurbish other parts of the wharf. (SF Chronicle, 12/16/2024).

In the storm Dec. 28, 2023, pilings were broken and a section of the wharf slumped at the Dolphin Restaurant. This compromised both the vertical and horizontal structural integrity of that section of the wharf. A $4 million repair project began with the demolition of the Dolphin Restaurant. That may have left the end section unbalanced, so with unrepaired damages coupled with high waves, the restrooms pulled the end of the wharf down like a hinge. This was so smooth, the three workmen declared there was no impact when it hit the water. It tore a zigzag path, taking all the seal viewing holes with it.

The Municipal Wharf is an important attraction, combining history, commerce, recreation and marine habitat. The best way to preserve the wharf is to reconstruct the missing section of the 111-year-old landmark, rather than move the wave-impact zone closer to existing businesses.